Throughout Manís history, besides sex
Gold has been the most sought after thing on earth.
Men have left their homes and traveled into the unknown
To search the wilderness for its beauty and worth.

Kingdoms have risen or fallen because of gold
Thatís why Columbus for the New World set sail.
The most common use of gold has always been money
And any country without it would fail.

Ships loaded with gold sailed in constant danger
Of attacks by pirates hunting the high seas.
They took their booty to island hideouts
Till they had enough to live back in Europe as they please.

Gold is the mythical treasure of pharaohs and kings
A magic substance yellow, hard and cold.
Explorers took gold from the Aztecs and Incas
And shipped it back to Spain to the treasure rooms of old.

South America supplied most of the worldís gold
Until 1849 when into California poured 80,000 miners.
In three years San Francisco grew from village to city
And the gold hunters were called forty-niners.

Gold discoveries have always influenced a countries economy
Good or bad their lasting effect was to speed up settlement.
Men came to hunt treasure and stayed to build a country
Though all did not strike it rich there was adventure and excitement.